Multiple field devices, which are used to record and/or control process variables, are utilized in process automation engineering. Examples of field devices of this type are level measurement devices, mass flow meters, pressure and temperature measurement devices, etc., which, as sensors, record the corresponding process variables, fill level, flow rate, pressure and temperature.
A variety of such field devices are manufactured and marketed by the Endress+Hauser company.
The operating mode of a field device is defined with the aid of parameters, which are written into the memory of the field device. The functioning of the field device is set by storing suitable parameter values in the respective memory locations. This process is referred to as “parameterizing”. The customer sets the parameters and, by selecting suitable parameter values, the customer can adjust the field device to his particular application.
Particularly for easy to operate field devices, there is a great number of setting options and, consequently a large number of parameters, which are to be set by the customer. Some advanced field devices have several hundred parameters. In order to be able to set the parameters correctly, the customer must become acquainted with the importance of the individual parameters for each field device utilized. This is often made difficult, in addition, insofar as various manufacturers use a variety of parameters with different names for one and the same task.